AN: prepare for another corny battle scene :p Poll Time! Should I make an attempt to add create a lemon or fluff final chapter? Never written one before, but I'm willing to give it a shot if enough people want could be just yuri/flynn, or following up on all the couples in the story. I'll leave it to the reviewers to decide!

Chapter 5 - Return to the Light

Shadows. All I could see around me was shadows. Swirling around me like a dense fog, creeping into every part of my being. Up ahead of me I saw a light, welcoming me, shining out in the darkness like an inn on a dark foggy night. The closer I got to the light, the further away it seemed to get, taunting me; always just barely out of my reach. I ran faster, harder, pouring my every will into catching the light.

Out of the light there came a shadowy figure, cloaked in darkness. Walking casually towards me like someone with all the time in the world. As the figure got closer to me, it spoke in an all to familiar voice.

"Yuri Lowell. Your friends have fought their greatest of fears in order to win back your soul. Now, it is time for you to face your own." The cloaked figures hood fell back, to reveal.. Myself.

Or rather, my darker self.

"You and I must face a trial of combat. If you win, you shall receive a second chance at life."

"And if I lose?" I questioned my dark reflection. He responded with a twisted smirk.

"Then I get a chance to live; free of all of your morals, your sense of justice. Free of everything that makes you weak".

"You mean free of everything that makes me human", I spat. "You'll never win. I can't let you be free."

"We'll see about that" the reflection leered, charging at me.

I dodged the attack, at a distinct disadvantage due to my lack of physical weaponry. Grabbing the reflection's arm, I twisted, only to find the reflection dissipate into the shadows and knock me to the ground from behind. I rolled onto my back just in time to dodge the reflection's attack that was aimed towards my head. My dark self gave a malicious smirk. "I've always resided within you, waiting for the chance to be free. I am the darkness within your heart. You created me with your own hatred. And once I defeat you in the realm where I am strongest, I will destroy everything you worked to create."

The reflection attacked hard and fast, and I was swiftly beginning to tire. How does one fight back against a shadow?

Then it hit me. My reflection was made up of my worst fears... All I had to do to defeat him was to face them.

"You're tough, I'll give you that," I said, dodging to the left as he lunged towards me. I spun around, blocking his hit. "But there's one thing you seem to be overlooking… One thing that I have that you don't" The reflection faltered slightly, checking for an opening.

"The power of love. I'd rather die again than let you ever be free; than let you ever be able to hurt people! I'll never become you, Now DIE you bastard!"

I concentrated fiercely on my emotions, let myself feel every ounce of love and compassion I was capable of feeling; every inch of the sense of justice and empathy within my very being. A deep purple glow enveloped me.

My Darker self watched in horror. "No, this cannot happen! This is my world! We play by my rules!"

"The rules have changed." I respond, a blade of pure amethyst light forming in my hand. "You cannot destroy me; I will always be part of you!" he snarled. I charge forward and with a single strike, pierce the shadows of my dark reflection's heart.

"Not any more, Jackass." I smirked.

The reflection gave an ethereal scream before dissipating back into the world of the shadows, silent once more.

I used my newfound control over the light to summon forth a pair of ethereal black wings and flew towards the light.

As Flynn approached the black cloaked figure, the first thing he noticed was that he appeared to be formed from the shadows themselves. As he moved closer, the shadows seemed to be closing in on themselves. The light given off by the lantern started to glow brighter by the second, causing him to cover his eyes. A sudden flash blinded him momentarily. Once his vision cleared, the cloaked figure had vanished, replaced with another figure with majestic black wings. A figure he knew all too well.

"Yuri!" he gasped, falling to his knees.

As the light cleared, the first thing I found was that I was stood in the middle of an ancient ruined chamber. The second was that my friends and family were stood around the room, staring at me in several shades of shock and wonder. And lastly, that Flynn was on the ground in front of me, unable to believe his eyes.

I scooped up my love in my arms, my newfound wings wrapping unconsciously around him, cradling him to me as his eyes shone with unshed tears. No words were exchanged as I held him close, revelling in the human contact I never believed I'd experience again. A slight sniffle brought my attention back down to earth and I looked down to find his face buried in the bare skin of my chest, hot tears running down it as he trembled in my arms.

"It's alright Flynn, I'm here. I won't leave you again, I promise" I whispered in his ear, causing him to break down completely.

"I thought I'd lost you forever.. I never got to tell you how much you mean to me" he exclaimed through his tears. I lifted his chin gently so that I could look into his beautiful azure eyes, sparkling brightly with unshed tears. I smiled gently, dropping my usual poker face in a rare moment, showing my true emotions.

"There's more than enough time for that now", I murmured, leaning down to catch his lips in my own in a soul searing embrace.

We exited the Labyrinth of Memories for what would hopefully be the last time with a celebratory air among us. Not only had we succeeded in restoring the soul of the dead, emotions had finally be laid bare and friendships become closer, new relationships forming.

Estelle and Rita, having had a heart to heart along the way, boarded the Fiertia together, holding hands.. Judith and Raven leaned on each other for support, having been brought together in their fear. Flynn and I had become inseparable, and most surprisingly of all, Sodia gave us her complete blessing. Karol seemed to be the happiest of us all, having all of his friends together in one place; his family. Ba'ul lifted us off of the ground with a welcoming sound. As we began to fly away from the portal, an immense rumble reminiscent of an earthquake shook the planet, and the mountains that had revealed the Labyrinth closed up, making the area completely inaccessible once more.

As Brave Vesperia sped off towards Zaphias to restart our lives together under a new light, I couldn't help but feel relieved.

End? ;)